Saturday, 4 March 2017

THE CHRISTIAN DOCTOR"Are we doctors who happen to be Christians or are we Christians whom God has called to be doctors?"

That was the very question I came across while reading the book, 'PRACTICE BY THE BOOK' by Gene Rudd, M.D and All Weir, M.D.

Because we are in a world where values like gay/lesbianism, abortion, transgender are legalised, it can be easy to succumb to it. Even when we claim to be core Christians, our busy schedules as doctors/medical students( medics), give us little or no time to go about the work God has called us to do - sharing the Gospel.

Nonetheless, as the book added, "It is not what we do that determines who we are but rather it is who we are that determines what we do." What are we? We are Christian medics.

Yes, medicine is a calling to serve and heal but there is a Higher calling to bring Christ(light, hope) to a hurting world. This calling not only brings physical healing but also spiritual and emotional healing.
So how do we go about this? I would suggest the MMMMs:

1. Ministry(Matthew 9:35): Jesus -the Great Physician- preached the Good News and healed. We, as followers, are to emulate. The deepest need of patients is to receive Jesus that cures the disease of sin and guarantees eternal life. So while we are in conversation/examination with patients/others who do not know Christ, we should not hesitate to share the Gospel.

2. Mission(Matthew 28:19-20): Healthcare is an opportunity to serve people while simultaneously expanding the Church. We can go on missions and outreaches. While attending to a community/ village inhabitant, we could talk to them about Christ.

3. Mentoring(2 Timothy 2:1-2): Mentoring does not just refers to teaching academic/clinical skills. It also refers to guiding and leading by example. Many medics have academic mentors but it is equally important to teach our younger colleagues things like: how to balance school alongside God's work, encouraging them when depressed, advising them before and when they make mistakes and helping them in their times of need.

4. Money(Malachi 3:8-12): We may not be able to go on missions, outreaches but we could give towards such, NGOs and sow into Kingdom projects.

And the truth is, we can do every one of the MMMMs:

1. Ministry: We could evangelise to our neighbours, friends, colleagues, patients or even that stranger we just met in the bus. Some churches and Christian schools also go on Group evangelism.
Worried about what to preach? That's not a problem. Your message is just to tell the person about Jesus, your personal experiences and testimonies and leave the rest for the Holy Spirit to finish up.

Remember 1 Corinthians 12:3: "..…No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit."

2. Missions: You could organize or join outreaches, missions, missionary journeys organized by a church or other Christian organizations targeter at remote villages, communities or even your own area of residence! Not only would you sharpen your skills as a medic, it would serve as a way of serving the society -especially the poor and uneducated and talk to the inhabitants about Christ.
Colossians 3:23-24: "And whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ."

3. Mentoring: There's a saying that goes thus, "I became a mentor because I wanted to give. The thing I didn't realise was how much I had get."
In fact, it is often said that we learn more when we teach. You may think that you cannot be a good mentor but so long you have once been in the position where someone else is now, you're qualified to be one because you would at least tell the person where you made mistakes and what you had wished you had done that time. You don't need to mentor a whole lot of people. You could start with your junior sibling, a church member, a junior colleague or anyone you happen to encounter one day that needs the advice you know. Not only would you add up to your existing knowledge,you would realise you had skills you never noticed and would impact on someone's life in a way you never could have imagined.
2 Timothy 4:12: "Timothy do not let anyone look down on you because you are young but set an example to all believers in speech, in life,in love, in faith, and in all purity."

4. Money: "No one has ever become poor by giving."

Just the same way as there is the law of gravity,there is also the law of giving. If you give, you receive in on way or the other. Even Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook gives up to 99% of his profits to charity organizations! No matter how small let's all start giving to the poor,to those around us who are in need,to the church, to our pastors, to NGOs, in our tithes or in any other form but just give!
Proverbs 11:24: "One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty."
To sum it up, we are called not only to heal the body but also to heal soul and spirit.

Luke 4:18: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the Gospel...He has sent me to heal...." .

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About Me

I'm Nigerian, Christian, currently a student and have a dream of being a renowned writer someday but the right now, I hope that by my blog, you would get inspired and learn so much. I really appreciate you! Feel free to comment and share your thoughts with me. My email is florah340@gmail.com. Thanks!